Modular shelf system

ABSTRACT

A kit for modular shelf unit potentially including at least one support, at least one riser, at least one shelf, at least one interior corner, and at least one exterior corner, the supports and risers optionally providing connection between shelves, interior and exterior corners, the risers optionally providing support for multiple shelves, shelves of different elevations or both, interior and exterior corners optionally allowing continuation of the shelf unit around corners in and out of a room.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to shelf systems and more particularly to shelf systems that are of a user defined configuration.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Shelves are a common form of furniture in a modern home. Shelves generally come pre-fabricated leaving the consumer with a need to change the house to fit the shelves or selecting from a wide variety of shelves to find the one that fits. Some adjustable shelf systems have been developed to better fit the needs of consumers, although many still lack versatility.

[0003] For instance, U.S. Pat. 3,136,270 to E. J. Von Arb et al. entitled Adjustable Shelving, includes a shelf and supports. The shelf is adjustable up and down, but generally is not designed to be installed around corners or otherwise adjust to the architecture of a room.

[0004] Whitcomb, U.S. Pat. No. 834,095 discloses an Adjustable Shelf including a shelf and supports. This shelf installs horizontally between the stiles of a window, but is not designed to be installed around corners or in an ascending or descending arrangement.

[0005] Rhoades, U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,379, entitled Shelving Means, discloses an adjustable shelf with a vertical support member with slots into which support plates may be inserted. A shelf rest atop the support plates. This shelf system generally does not install around corners nor allow installation in an ascending or descending manner to fit the architecture of a room.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,009, entitled Shelving System Having Wall-Mounted Fixtures issued to Horowitz et al., discloses an adjustable wall mounting system that allows shelves to be set into or pulled out of the structure. This system does not provide for a continuous shelving system that may be installed around corners.

[0007] Balter et al. disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,306 a Closet Organizer. This system allows shelves to be adjusted to a variety of elevations, but this system, like the aforementioned patents does not disclose an adjustable shelf system that may be installed continuously around corners.

[0008] Consumers need shelves that are designed for their homes, instead of having to adjust their homes to fit the shelves. The shelf system should allow ascending and descending shelf structures. The system should allow one or more shelves to pass through any vertical line. The system should go around corners and still allow the upper surface of the shelving unit to remain in the same plane.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A kit for modular shelf unit potentially including at least one support, at least one riser, at least one shelf, at least one interior corner, and at least one exterior corner, the supports and risers optionally providing connection between shelves, interior and exterior corners, the risers optionally providing support for multiple shelves, shelves of different elevations or both, interior and exterior corners optionally allowing continuation of the shelf unit around corners in and out of a room.

[0010] Advantageously, risers allow one to support multiple shelves, change the elevation and direction of the shelf or both.

[0011] Also of advantage, horizontal receptors allow a support or riser to elevate multiple shelves, interior corners, exterior corners or a combination thereof.

[0012] As a further advantage, interior corners provide a mechanism to allow the shelf unit to bend around interior corners of a room.

[0013] As yet another advantage, exterior corners provide a mechanism to allow the shelf unit to bend around exterior corners of a room or out into another room.

[0014] As yet another advantage supports, risers, shelves, exterior corners and interior corners provide the user the option of construction in three dimensional flow of the shelf unit, including raising and lowering the upper surface and bending around corners.

[0015] As still yet another advantage the combination of supports, risers, shelves, interior corners, and exterior corners allow varying the number of shelves along any portion of the shelf unit.

[0016] Another advantage is the extension of the receptor through the shelf allows a user to cut the shelf to length and yet not need to re-drill the receptors.

[0017] As yet another advantage the invention is designed to be mounted around corners that are not square.

[0018] Other advantages will become apparent through reading this description of the invention in its preferred embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0019]FIG. 1 is a prospective view showing various parts of the present invention assembled in a manner a user may select;

[0020]FIG. 2 is an exploded view partially in phantom of a support with anchors and plugs;

[0021]FIG. 3 is a side view of a support;

[0022]FIG. 4 is a prospective view of a support with shelf connectors partially shown in phantom;

[0023]FIG. 5 is an exploded side view partially in phantom of a riser with anchors and a plug;

[0024]FIG. 6 is a prospective view showing the upper surface, front edge and first side edge of a riser together with shelf connectors partially shown in phantom;

[0025]FIG. 7 is a prospective view showing the lower surface, rear edge and second side edge of a riser;

[0026]FIG. 8 is an exploded view showing the upper surface, front edge and first side edge of a shelf together with the shelf connectors and the front and rear receptors shown in phantom;

[0027]FIG. 9 is a prospective view partially in phantom showing the lower surface, rear edge and second side edge of a shelf;

[0028]FIG. 10 is a top view partially in phantom of an interior corner without a front edge;

[0029]FIG. 11 is a top view partially in phantom of an interior corner with a front edge;

[0030]FIG. 12 is an exploded view of the interior corner with shelf connectors and spacer showing the upper surface, first side and second side with respective receptors and with the front edge shown in phantom and the front and rear receptors shown in phantom;

[0031]FIG. 13 is a prospective view of the interior corner showing the lower surface, first and second rear surfaces and front edge shown in phantom;

[0032]FIG. 14 is a top view of an exterior corner;

[0033]FIG. 15 is an exploded view of the exterior corner with shelf connectors showing the upper surface, first and second rear edges, first and second sides, spacer, first and second front edges with the third front edge shown in phantom and with the front and rear receptors shown in phantom; and

[0034]FIG. 16 is a prospective view showing the lower surface, first and second rear edges with the spacer, first and second front edges with trim shown in partial and third front edge shown in phantom.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The present invention may be a kit for modular shelf unit 10. The components may be arranged in a wide variety of user determined configuration as shown in FIG. 1. Potentially included in the kit are at least one support 20, at least one riser 40, at least one shelf 70, at least one interior corner 100, at least one exterior corner 130 and hardware. These components are discussed in serial fashion.

[0036] Support 20, shown in FIGS. 1-4, may be configured to elevate the shelf 70, the interior corner 100 and/or the exterior corner 130. Support 20 may have an upper surface 22, a lower surface 24, a front edge 26, a rear edge 28, a first side 30 and a second side 32. The support 20 may define a front support receptor 34 and a rear support receptor 36. The front and rear receptors 34,36 may be adjacent and parallel to the upper surface 22 as shown in FIG. 4. Front and rear receptors 34, 36 preferably extend from the first side 30 to the second side 32. Front and rear receptors 34, 36 are preferably sized to receive shelf connectors 178 therethrough.

[0037] Support 20, shown in FIG. 2, may have at least one anchor receptor 38. Preferably, support 20 has an anchor receptor 38 projecting from the front edge 26 to the rear edge 28 and a second anchor receptor 38 projecting in an angled manner from the upper surface 22 to the rear edge 28. Anchor receptors 38 may be counter sunk and sized to received anchor screws 172 therethrough for anchoring the support 20 to a wall, not shown. Anchor screws 172 may cooperate with commonly sold wall anchors 174 to be used to provide structure where wall studs are not available for anchor screws 172. Plug 176 may be sized to be received within the counterbored portion of anchor receptors 38 and thereby cover the anchor screws 172 for aesthetic reasons. Support 20 may also be placed in an inverted position for above the shelf 70 support.

[0038] Support 20 may be in a variety of sizes and shapes and formed of a variety of materials. The upper surface 22 should generally be no longer than the width of the shelf 70 and the rear edge 28 should generally be of a length suitable to gain good leverage against a wall, perhaps six to eight inches. The front edge 26 may generally be cut to provide an attachment surface for trim 180, if desired, and may be in any aesthetically pleasing shape. The support 20 may be formed of wood, manufactured wood product, plastic, metal or other suitable shelf system material, preferably the support 20 is made of wood.

[0039] Riser 40, shown in FIGS. 1, and 5-7, may be configured to elevate the shelf 70, the interior corner 100 and/or the exterior corner 130. Riser 40 may have an upper surface 42, a lower surface 44, a front edge 46, a rear edge 52, a first side 54 and a second side 56. Front edge 46 may have an upper front edge 48 and a lower front edge 50 designed for attachment to trim 180, shown in FIG. 16, thereon if desired. One skilled in the art will easily recognize that riser 40 may be modified to support any number of shelves 70 by forming multiple risers 40 joined integrally or otherwise at the respective upper and lower surfaces thereof.

[0040] Preferably, riser 40 defines an upper front receptor 58, an upper rear receptor 60, a lower front receptor 62 and a lower rear receptor 64. Upper front receptor 58 and upper rear receptor 60 may be adjacent and parallel to the upper surface 42 as shown in FIG. 6. Likewise, lower front receptor 62 and lower rear receptor 64 may be adjacent and parallel to the lower surface 44. In a preferred mode, receptors 58, 60, 62, 64 extend from the first side 54 to the second side 56 and are sized to receive shelf connectors 178 therethrough as shown in FIG. 6.

[0041] Riser 40, as shown in FIG. 5 may have at least one anchor receptor 66. Preferably, riser 40 has an anchor receptor 66 projecting from the front edge 46 to the rear edge 52 and may have anchor receptors 66 projecting in an angled manner from the upper surface 42 or lower surface 44 to the rear edge 52. Anchor receptors 66 may be counter sunk and sized to received anchor screws 172 therethrough for anchoring the riser 40 to a wall, not shown.

[0042] Riser 40 may be in a variety of sizes and shapes and formed of a variety of materials. The upper surface 42 should generally be no larger than the width of the shelf 70 and the rear edge 52 should generally be of a length suitable to gain good leverage against a wall and allow space between vertically adjacent shelves, perhaps eight to ten inches. The front edge 46 may generally be in any aesthetically pleasing shape. The riser 40 may be formed of wood, manufactured wood product, plastic, metal or other suitable shelf system material, preferably the riser 40 is made of wood.

[0043] Shelf 70, shown in FIGS. 1, 8 and 9, may have an upper surface 72, a lower surface 74, a front edge 76, a rear edge 78, a first side 80 and a second side 86. The shelf may define a front first side receptor 82, a rear first side receptor 84, a front second side receptor 88 and a rear second side receptor 90.

[0044] Receptors 82 and 88 may be continuous as shown in FIG. 8. Likewise, receptors 84 and 90 may also be continuous. Making such receptors continuous allows the user to cut the shelf 70 to length, while not needing to re-drill the receptors 82, 84, 88, 90. Alternatively, receptor 82, 84, 88, 90 may not join, perhaps sized to receive a limited segment of the shelf connectors 178 as illustrated in FIG. 9. Front first side receptor 82, rear first side receptor 84, front second side receptor 88 and rear second side receptor 90 may be adjacent and parallel to the upper surface 72 of the shelf 70.

[0045] Shelf 70 may be in a variety of sizes and shapes and formed of a variety of materials. The width of the shelf 70 should generally be no wider than the length of the upper surface 22 of the support 20 or the upper surface 42 of the riser 40, perhaps six to eight inches. The length of the shelf 70 should be suitable for most shelf usages, perhaps two to three feet in length. The front edge 76 may generally be cut to provide an attachment surface for trim 180, if desired, and may be in any aesthetically pleasing shape. The shelf 70 may be formed of wood, manufactured wood product, plastic, metal or other suitable shelf system material, preferably the shelf 70 is made of wood.

[0046] Interior corner 100, shown in FIGS. 1 and 10-13, may have an upper surface 102, a lower surface 104, a first rear edge 108, a second rear edge 110, a first side 112 and a second side 118. Optionally, interior corner 100 may include one or more front edges 106. Multiple front edges 106 may make interior corner 100 look similar to exterior corner 130.

[0047] Interior corner 100 may define a front first side receptor 114, a rear first side receptor 116, a front second side receptor 120 and a rear second side receptor 122. Preferably, front first side receptor 114, the rear first side receptor 116, the front second side receptor 120 and the rear second side receptor 122 of the interior corner 100 are adjacent and parallel to the upper surface 102 of the interior corner 100 as shown in FIG. 12. Receptors 114, 116, 120, 122 should be sized to receive shelf connectors 178 therein.

[0048] Interior corner 100 is similar to shelf 70, but is modified to fit in the corner of a room and as such it may be cut slightly less than with a square, e.g. 90°, rear corner to allow for wall imperfections and wall putty commonly used in corners. A spacer 124 may communicate between the wall (not shown) and the first and second rear edges 108, 110 of the interior corner 100 to allow the interior corner 100 to have a smooth fit with the wall. Spacer 124 may be felt, compressible rubber or other such form fitting material.

[0049] Interior corner 100 may be in a variety of sizes and shapes and formed of a variety of materials. The width of the interior corner 100 should generally be no wider than the length of the upper surface 22 of the support 20 or the upper surface 42 of the riser 40, perhaps six to eight inches. The length of the interior corner 100 should be suitable for most shelf usages and complete the corner, perhaps one to three feet in angled length. The front edge 106 may generally be cut to provide an attachment surface for trim 180, if desired, and may be in any aesthetically pleasing shape. The interior corner 100 may be formed of wood, manufactured wood product, plastic, metal or other suitable shelf system material, preferably the interior corner 100 is made of wood.

[0050] Exterior corner 130, shown in FIGS. 1 and 14-16, may have an upper surface 132, a lower surface 134, a first front edge 136, a second front edge 138, a first rear edge 142, a second rear edge 144 a first side 146 and a second side 152. The exterior corner 130 may define a front first side receptor 148, a rear first side receptor 150, a front second side receptor 154 and a rear second side receptor 156. Receptors 148, 150, 154, 156 may be adjacent and parallel to the upper surface 132 of the exterior corner 130. Exterior corner 130 may have a third front surface 140 for aesthetic reasons as shown in phantom in FIGS. 15 and 16.

[0051] Exterior corner 130 is similar to shelf 70, but is modified to fit about a corner of a room and as such that the first and second rear edges 142, 144 form slightly less than a 270° angle, allowing for wall imperfections and wall putty commonly used in corners. A spacer 158 may communicate between the wall (not shown) and the first and second rear edges 142, 144 of the exterior corner 130 to allow the exterior corner 130 to have a smooth fit with the wall. Spacer 158 may be felt, compressible rubber or other such form fitting material.

[0052] Exterior corner 130 may be in a variety of sizes and shapes and formed of a variety of materials. The width of the exterior corner 130 should generally be no wider than the length of the upper surface 22 of the support 20 or the upper surface 42 of the riser 40, perhaps six to eight inches. The length of the exterior corner 130 should be suitable for most shelf usages and complete the corner, perhaps one to three feet in angled length. The front edge 136 may generally be cut to provide an attachment surface for trim 180, if desired, and may be in any aesthetically pleasing shape. The exterior corner 130 may be formed of wood, manufactured wood product, plastic, metal or other suitable shelf system material, preferably the exterior corner 130 is made of wood.

[0053] The hardware generally may be found in stores. Anchors screws 172 may be one and one half inch to four inch wood screws. Wall anchors 74 may be any device used in openings defined in drywall as structure to which a screw or other fastener may attach such as any one of the variety of plastic, “lead” anchors, or metal anchors commonly called “mollys” that are readily available from numerous sources. Shelf connectors 178 may be metal or wood dowels perhaps four to five inches in length although length is to be determined at a manufacturer's discretion. These sizes, materials, shapes are referred, but are easily modified and such modifications fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0054] In operation, a user selects the configuration of the shelf unit they desire. Supports 20 and risers 40 are used to support at least three different shapes of shelves, including the standard shelf, hereandbefore referred to as shelf 70, interior corner 100 and exterior corner 130. Supports 20 may be anchored to the wall with anchor screws 172 through support anchor receptors 38. Wall anchors 174 may be used where wall studs are not available to provide structure in the wall for holding the anchor screws 172. Plugs 176 may be inserted into the support anchor receptors 38 to hide the anchor screws 172. Risers 40 are attached to the wall in a similar fashion. Supports 20 are used to support a single shelf or variation thereof, while risers 40 may be used to support multiple shelves or change the elevation and direction of the shelf.

[0055] Shelves 70, interior corners 100 and exterior corners 130 join to the supports and each other in a similar fashion. Shelf connectors 178 are inserted into the receptors as heretofore shown and described. The shelf connectors may be inserted through either a support 20 or riser 40 to join shelves 70 to other shelves 70, to interior corners 100 or exterior corners 130 or likewise interior corners 100 to exterior corners 130. Operably communicating the shelves and variations thereof in this fashion allows the shelves to generally define parallel planes with the respective upper surfaces thereof. The parallel planes may be coplanar if joined with either a support 20 or a riser 40 or the planes may be separated if joined with a riser 40. Trim 180 may be attached to the front edges of the respective components to conceal the grooves formed when joining components together and further to avoid separation or shifting of the components with the respect to each other.

[0056] Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For instance, the present invention has been shown with receptors that are fully circumscribed, which could be replaced with grooves routed to the lower surface of the various types of shelves and supports or risers. Receptors in this application is intended to have the broader meaning, which includes grooves as well as screws pins, cams, and divots. As an additional example, sizes, shapes and materials shown and described above are for the preferred embodiment and are the best mode of carrying out the present invention, but are not deemed to be limiting of the broad scope of protection this invention is entitled to receive under the patent laws of the United States of America. 

I claim:
 1. A kit for modular shelf unit comprising: at least one support having an upper surface, a lower surface, a front edge, a rear edge, a first side and a second side, the support defining a front support receptor and a rear support receptor, the front and rear receptors being adjacent and parallel to the upper surface and the front and rear receptors extending from the first side to the second side; at least one riser having an upper surface, a lower surface, a front edge, a rear edge, a first side and a second side, the riser defining an upper front receptor, an upper rear receptor, a lower front receptor and a lower rear receptor, the upper front receptor and upper rear receptor being adjacent and parallel to the upper surface, the lower front receptor and lower rear receptor being adjacent and parallel to the lower surface, the upper front receptor, the upper rear receptor, the lower front receptor and the lower rear receptor extending from the first side to the second side; and at least one shelf having an upper surface a lower surface, a front edge, a rear edge, a first side and a second side, the shelf defining a front first side receptor, a rear first side receptor, a front second side receptor and a rear second side receptor, the front first side receptor, the rear first side receptor, the front second side receptor and the rear second side receptor being adjacent and parallel to the upper surface.
 2. The kit of claim 1 wherein the support has at least one anchor receptor.
 3. The kit of claim 1 wherein the riser has at least one anchor receptor.
 4. The kit of claim 1 wherein the front edge of the riser has an upper front edge portion and a lower front edge portion.
 5. The kit of claim 1 further comprising: at least one interior corner having an upper surface a lower surface, a first rear edge, a second rear edge, a first side and a second side.
 6. The kit of claim 5 wherein the interior corner defines a front first side receptor, a rear first side receptor, a front second side receptor and a rear second side receptor.
 7. The kit of claim 6 wherein the front first side receptor, the rear first side receptor, the front second side receptor and the rear second side receptor of the interior corner are adjacent and parallel to the upper surface of the interior corner.
 8. The kit of claim 5 further comprising a front edge of the interior corner.
 9. The kit of claim 5 further comprising a spacer in communication with the first and second rear edges of the interior corner.
 10. The kit of claim 1 further comprising: at least one exterior corner having an upper surface, a lower surface, a first front edge, a second front edge, a first rear edge, and a second rear edge.
 11. The kit of claim 10 wherein the exterior corner defines a front first side receptor, a rear first side receptor, a front second side receptor and a rear second side receptor.
 12. The kit of claim 11 wherein the front first side receptor, the rear first side receptor, the front second side receptor and the rear second side receptor of the exterior corner are adjacent and parallel to the upper surface of the exterior corner.
 13. The kit of claim 10 further comprising a third front surface of the exterior corner.
 14. The kit of claim 10 further comprising a spacer in communication with the first and second rear edges.
 15. A kit for modular shelf unit comprising: at least one exterior corner having an upper surface, a lower surface, a first front edge, a second front edge, a first rear edge, and a second rear edge; and at least one support configured to elevate the exterior corner.
 16. The kit of claim 15 further comprising: at least one shelf being in operable communication with the exterior corner such that an upper surface of the shelf and the upper surface of the exterior corner generally define parallel planes.
 17. The kit of claim 15 wherein the support is a riser.
 18. The kit of claim 15 wherein the upper surface of the shelf and the upper surface of the exterior corner which generally define parallel planes are coplanar.
 19. A kit for modular shelf unit comprising: at least one shelf having an upper surface; at least one interior corner having an upper surface configured to interconnect with the at least one shelf such that the upper surface of the interior corner and the upper surface of the shelf generally define parallel planes; at least one support configured to elevate the interior corner.
 20. The kit of claim 18 wherein the support is a riser. 